The Bird Thread

Have you checked for the Little Owl?

I have now, not that but thanks.

Heard it again about 10pm last night. The sound of a little owl is a little 'screechy', it's not a screechy noise at all, I said it sounded like a squeaky toy but it's a very binary sound, like a very simple 'eeep' kind of noise, very simple. I'm not very good at describing sounds but it's a lot more simple than most bird calls.

I think it might be coming from the Lea Flood Relief Channel, which suggests waterfowl of some kind, so I'll try and do some listening to waterfowl noises today.

Try redwing . Had one of them fly over in the night.

I guess it could be a hungry chick at this time of year?

I would totally be out on my bike at midnight trying to record this sound if it were me because silly stuff like this prevents me from sleeping anyway!

Hi Fox, sounds like it could be a Eurasian Woodcock? They have a very varied song but often go for a repetitive toy-like 'eeep' often for an hour or more in the middle of the night.

Best video with sound that I can find is this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XArSrTTbeTs

First swallows and house martins for me today, also local pond has it's first batch of greylag and mallard chicks, lots of chifff chaff and willow warbler singing, some little grebes and linnet for good measure

About 75% sure that I saw a barn owl earlier. Not sure what else would be that big and beige. Otherwise this week has been lapwings, ravens (always love to see a raven, the absolute coolest corvid), a handful more swallows, and many skylarks.

I found myself with a few hours to fill this morning on the Trent near Newark and filled them with a visit to Langford Lowfields, which was alive with Cetti’s warblers, reed buntings and booming bitterns. One of the bitterns chose to fly across to an island reed bed just in front of me while I was trying to record its booming, so I failed to take a photo. I did jump and point and whoop like Francis Bourgeois, of which I am ashamed.

First Cuckoo of the year today. Heard whilst I was swimming in the local gravel pit. Pretty pleased with that.

I did jump and point and whoop

Perfectly acceptable reaction to seeing a bitten imo.

Quite right - I have been seeing cuckoo flowers out, but have heard nothing yet. They were busy round here this time last year.

Today's great spotted visitor.

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Hell yeah, that’s a banger of a shot

A Cetti’s warbler at the weekend - so loud!

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Cheers, it was the only one I got and it’s just as he spotted me.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/17/birds-vanishing-crisis-40m-birds

Absolute tragedy.

Booming bittern today,little ringed plover and barn owl chilling in its hole

Also warbler fest of cetti's, Reed, sedge, willow and blackcap

Missed passage little gulls by five minutes though

Nesting pair in bluetit box, much excitement.

(Window needs a good clean)

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Some nice birds today. Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Whitethroat, Marsh Harriers, Green Sandpiper, Greylag Geese with goslings and a Crane.

I am hoping to hear some brilliant spring birds tomorrow but, in the meantime, here are some sounds from Sunday by the Trent
https://on.soundcloud.com/yYTEUPb9jnbsRRz9A

Few pics of birdbox activity this morning

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Brief Arctic Tern today, a little ringed plover and a greenshank

I had a few hours at Otmoor this morning. Cranes were ace. So was everything else.

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Great pics